Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-01-29

n
Irest Observatory.
MIR James Lick, who wiliet SEQ 600 fOr the
erection Of An observatory, was born at
fredericksburg, Pa, August -, lTaG In
lslg he was employed in plano mandatory
in Philsdelphia aud year later started in
the same business for himself IN New York,
and afterwards i'll various parts OF south
America Il lSi7 he emigrated to California,
taking with him $50, 600 which he invested in
real estate Ia San Francisco, and It's rapid ad-
vance In value made him wealthy. In lisa
he placed his entire property In the hands of
trustees, 10 he devoted to puhiu ana charits.
ble purposes The bepuests then made he
changed al some respects In MAY, lS-5. The
total amount thus given WAS Sits. .tlN, Of
which 500, 900 were for an observatory 70
ue connected with the University Of Csllfor.
MIA Sla@JuJ for Tree public Uaths in san
Francisco, and 500, 600 for al Institution 10
be called the California SchC0l ~ Mechanical
Arts For himself he reserved SD0. .OOO,
gave his son $50 GO0, and each Of his reia.
uves sums varying from t-0.n to S5,uOO
James Lick died on October lst, ls1G. and
the observatory which his pAilSuthrOphy
proposed Ia 70 day thing of reality. Mount
Hamilton, Of the Pacific CuAs. range, which
is located in Santa Clara county thirteen
miles from san Jose, was chosen as offering
the greatest convenient elevation. Nit Ham
1
ing 400 feet The southern peak, the site
OF the observatory, is about l-1 teet lower
than the northern, but WAS chosen on account
of is easy accessibility. The plateau upon
which the building ia erected i about 45O
| feet In length, with breadth ul - feet The
| largest telescope in the world " III be used in
| the observatory, and although the whols
| plan of the observatory has been made with
| direct reference to keeping IL running ex.
penses Low, the company OF astronomers will
| have 10 Ue kept smsll-far too small 10 util.
| lie the instruments to the full. 10 would re-
| quire stst Of at least ten astronomers to re.
turn the full results from the beautiful outfit.
| and at present not more than three can he
| employed the work of these must he con.
| csntrated on the large equatorial, and even
| then their energies will not be sufficient &c
| utilize every moment As Mr., liCk's mag
| nihcent gift was in reality 10 the whole
! world, - IL proposed TO put the iarGe teles
| cope At the disposition OF the world by inyit
| ing It's utmost distinguished astronomers K
| visit the Observatory, one at time, and &c
| give 10 them tbs use of the instrument dur
| ing certain specific hours OF the twenty. four
| bach day there Will be certain hours SCI
| apart when the observatory stats will relln
| qul-h the use Of the use OF the equatorial Il
| distinguished specialists, who Will come frolE
| different sections Of the United States suC
| from Europe To solve or to attack sOme on,
OF the many unsolvsd problems OF sstroS nmy
! q this way 1t is hoped the gift Of Mr.. LicI
! Will tie truly made gift to the whole worlC
| OF science, and not merely a git 10 California
or its university. With energy aud faithful
ness on tho part OF the company OF astrono
mers to whom this magnificent e4uipmen
IS conhdsd, and with the support OF tn,
! friends OF scIeuce, much may ue eS nected 4
follow from Mr. Lick's famous eutuwment
T4gks PSBItN